With U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., retiring from Congress, 10 Republicans have qualified to run for his seat–and one of them is now drawing fire for his stance on abortion.
While most of the candidates talk about their conservative credentials, one of the Republican contenders is being called out for showing different positions on abortion.
Former Gainesville City Commissioner Todd Chase’s campaign website states that if elected he would support defunding Planned Parenthood, oppose taxpayer-funded abortions and protect the lives of the unborn.
But at a February 18, 2016 Gainesville City Commission meeting, a video shows Chase refusing to answer when a voter questioned him on his stance on abortion
“The very first house I ever walked up to…I knocked on the door, handed them a card, I’m Todd chase. I’m running for city commission. True story, lady looked right at me and said, ‘How do you feel about abortion?’ And I said, ‘Can I have that card back?’ And I just walked to the next house,” Chase says on the video.
Florida Daily contacted some of Chase’s opponents to ask them to respond. The campaigns quickly piled on though none of them wanted to go on record.
“His campaign website declares he’s ready to defend life, but is he?” asked one Republican’s campaign. Another campaign asked why it was alright for Chase to share his views at a city commission meeting but he could not do it personally with a voter.
“When you watch this video, it’s like Chase is actually bragging about not answering his views on the pro-life issue, a position that matters to a lot of voters,” another campaign told Florida Daily.
Some of Chase’s opponents did not want to respond to Florida Daily’s questions, instead pointing to polls showing him as a non-factor in the race.
Chase joins a growing list of Republican candidates who are running into trouble with conservative voters when it comes to abortion during the 2020 campaign.
Just recently, it was revealed that state Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, R-Fort Myers, a trial lawyer running for Florida Senate, has stood with Planned Parenthood many times and voted against bills that protect the lives of the unborn.
A Florida member of the pro-life Susan B Anthony List told Florida Daily that if this is true about Chase, the revelation will certainly hurt him in the crowded Republican primary Yoho’s seat which has many religious and pro-life conservatives.
Watch the video below:
Reach Ed Dean at ed.dean@floridadaily.com.
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